Here’s a “Choose Your own Post Script” to a famous story…
The next day after all the partygoers had feasted and danced at the celebration, they began to gather at the city gates to discuss the events of the previous. There were many opinions expressed and many left shaking their heads.
- Some said “Isn’t it amazing!” or “Isn’t it wonderful!” with tears in their eyes and joy in their hearts – and these folks shook their heads in wonder.
- Some came to see what others knew and shook their heads hither and thither to pick up on it all.
- Some said “It’s quite disgusting actually” and shook their heads in agreement with themselves.
- Some said with a sparkle in their eyes “I wonder what he got up to while he was gone…?” shaking their heads in puzzlement…
- Some declared “Of course he came back! What else is he going to do? People are starving out there and he knows his father can at least feed him. He’s not sorry. He just knows where his bread is.” These head shakers accompanied their actions with much finger wobbling also.
- Some had already heard the inside goss and never commented about the sons return, the fathers forgiveness and lavish love or their enjoyment of the party, but rather, now safely away from the hospitality of the home, family and servants of the night before – gathered in their own little knot to share what they knew. From just beyond their circle excited voices could be heard cutting over each other… words and phrases mingled… “drunken…”, “prostitutes…”, “riotous living…”, “inheritance gone…” “waste…” “I heard he…”, “Well I heard he…”, “Well I know someone who knew someone who saw him…” These folk left feeling right, eyes bright, satisfied to have shared their intel with the “D” group (and some of the “B” group) who had eventually picked up on their whispers.
- And some just expressed how they would have handled it better. H – I – J… suggestions?
Here’s the real story:
Luke 15:11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. 13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ 31 “ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”